X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 10 Defense (DEF) Streamers and Starts - 2019 Fantasy Tiers, Rankings

Joey Bosa - IDP Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Fantasy Football DST Rankings, Defense Streamers

Bill Dubiel breaks down all 2019 fantasy football Week 10 defenses (DEF) -- draft targets, streamers, sits/starts, and D/ST waiver wire pickups to add. His Week 10 rankings and tiers for all of the NFL defenses.

We've arrived at the dreaded six-team bye week, so there are even fewer DST streaming options out there than normal. That's not to say there aren't some real winners to be found, but almost none of them are surefire streaming studs at first glance.

Below are RotoBaller's Week 10 defense tiers and rankings, or which defenses to stream, start and target off the waiver wire for Week 10 of the NFL and fantasy football season. In case you missed it, this is our seventh year now writing this weekly column.

Our weekly tiered defense rankings are a guide to making waiver wire pickups to improve your lineups, and to decide which defenses to start, sit, target, avoid or stream for Week 10. Starting the right defense every week can be a difference-maker. Below we have broken out our defense rankings into tiers with analysis on each matchup. Some of these Week 10 defenses have good matchups and are not widely-owned, representing fantasy scoring opportunities if they are available on your league's waiver wire for a Week 9 pickup or add. Good luck in Week 10 RotoBallers!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Week 10 Defenses To Start & Stream: Tiers & Rankings

Typically the top three tiers will be DSTs you should target, with Tier 4 being options in deep leagues and Tier 5 being desperation plays or good defenses in horrendous matchups.

Returning for this year: Confidence Ratings - since every league's DST scoring is different, projections don't always make a ton of sense. The confidence rating is a guideline for how much more I like one team over another instead of a straight point projection. A zero means "do not start," then the confidence rises from there. I take a lot of factors into account here--opponent injuries, home field advantage, weather, etc. We've got four weeks of data to work with now, so we're going to be able to be a bit more precise basing our ratings on hard numbers.

On bye this week: New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Washington Redskins

 

Tier 1 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
1 1 Baltimore Ravens Defense @ CIN 13.4
2 1 Buffalo Bills Defense @ CLE 12.75

The Ravens have pieced together a nice little run, holding each of their last three opponents--two of whom are the Seahawks and Patriots--to 20 points on the scoreboard or fewer. They've got at least one interception in each of their last five games as well, but we all know what this ranking is about. Ryan Finley will be stepping in for the recently-benched Andy Dalton, and you simply can't expect a kid making his first career start with that offensive line (29 sacks allowed) protecting him to do well.

Baker Mayfield barely looks like an NFL quarterback, the Bills defense is third in yards allowed per game, third in points allowed per game and have at least three sacks in three of their last four games. The only red flag here is that the Bills have been gashed on the ground lately, and with Nick Chubb on deck they're going to need to clean that up in a hurry.

 

Tier 2 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
3 2 New Orleans Saints Defense vs. ATL 11.6
4 2 Los Angeles Rams Defense @ PIT 11.1
5 2 Los Angeles Chargers Defense @ OAK 10.5
6 2 Indianapolis Colts Defense vs. MIA 10.15
7 2 Detroit Lions Defense @ CHI 9.45

The Chargers pass rush is starting to shine once again, with Melvin Ingram returning to the field and Joey Bosa continuing to be a dominant force. They abused Aaron Rodgers and the entire Packers offense on Sunday, and should have some success again this week. They fall outside the top three due to the unexpectedly good offensive line play of the Raiders, which has been a big factor in the rise of Josh Jacobs, and the intelligent play of Derek Carr, who has a 7:1 TD-INT ratio over his last three games.

The Lions will rarely find themselves any higher than Tier 4, but with Matt Nagy continuing to commit to Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback, you have to take notice of any defense he faces. He's barely able to manage over 150 yards in any game, and if David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen don't move the ball, the Bears offense as a whole barely moves. Honestly the worst case scenario for the Lions this week is Trubisky being benched for veteran Chase Daniel--which I'd wager happens at half time.

 

Middle and Lower Tier Defenses

Tier 3 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
8 3 San Francisco 49ers Defense vs. SEA 8.65
9 3 Carolina Panthers Defense @ GB 8.2
10 3 Pittsburgh Steelers Defense vs. LAR 7.55
11 3 Chicago Bears Defense vs. DET 6.95
12 3 Dallas Cowboys Defense vs. MIN 6.3

The 49ers boast a truly elite defense, which is why you'll still find them as a startable option here. However, they draw MVP front-runner Russell Wilson and the fourth-ranked Seattle offense this week, which knocks them down to Tier 3. Wilson and Tyler Lockett are one of the best QB-WR duos in football right now, and with DK Metcalf ascending into the #2 spot in the passing attack the Seahawks are all of a sudden extremely explosive. An immovable object meeting an unstoppable force scenario here, and unfortunately that means the 49ers a merely an average DST option this week.

The Bears, like so many defenses before them, have faltered just one year after a remarkable season. They've managed double-digit fantasy points in just three of eight games in 2019, and they've seen their counting stats plummet across the board. They're at home this week, which is of certainly a plus for them, but their opponent is intimidating. The loss of Kerryon Johnson has unleashed the full potential of Matthew Stafford, Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, turning that offense into a more one-dimensional yet explosive aerial attack. I'm not feeling especially confident in the Bears right now.

 

Tier 4 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
13 4 New York Giants Defense @ NYJ 5.5
14 4 Kansas City Chiefs Defense @ TEN 5.1
15 4 Green Bay Packers Defense vs. CAR 4.6
16 4 Seattle Seahawks Defense @ SF 4.1
17 4 Minnesota Vikings Defense @ DAL 3.45

The Chiefs defense has done enough to win games this season, and that's about it. They're 15th in interceptions (6), 15th in points allowed per game (22.7), and 14th in fumble recoveries (5). They do have 26 sacks on the season, which is good for seventh in the NFL, but remember that nine of them came in one bloodbath against Denver in Week 7. The upside is limited, especially with Ryan Tannehill providing a boost to the Tennessee offense.

The Vikings have been a top-flight DST option for much of the season, and the pass rush has been particularly effective lately, as they've notched nine total sacks in their last two games. That was against the Redskins and Chiefs though--they'll find much tougher sledding this week against Dallas, who just wrapped up dismantling the Giants as I write this. The Cowboys have done a terrific job keeping Dak Prescott upright, as they've allowed just 10 total sacks on the season. Their offensive attack is balanced, with Ezekiel Elliott keeping defenses honest and Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup doing damage over the top. Ultimately I just see a very low ceiling for the Vikings in Week 10.

 

Tier 5 Defenses

Rank Tier DST Opponent Confidence Rating
18 5 Oakland Raiders Defense vs. LAC 2.8
19 5 Tennessee Titans Defense vs. KC 2.25
20 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defense vs. ARI 1.7
21 5 New York Jets Defense vs. NYG 1.5
22 5 Arizona Cardinals Defense @ TB 1.15

More Fantasy Football Analysis


Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS


Vikings Select Tai Felton To Finish Day 2

Seahawks Select Quarterback Jalen Milroe With The 92nd Pick Overall

Browns Select Dillon Gabriel 94th Overall

Packers Pick Savion Williams At No. 87 overall

Steelers Snag Kaleb Johnson In Round 3

Broncos Select Wide Receiver Pat Bryant With The 74th Overall Pick

Texans Select Jaylin Noel With 79th Pick

Lions Select Wide Receiver Isaac TeSlaa With The 70th Overall Pick
Jack Leiter

To Start On Sunday

Patriots Add Wide Receiver Kyle Williams In Round 3

Browns Draft Harold Fannin Jr. With 67th Pick
Garrett Mitchell

Makes Early Exit
Luke Keaschall

Removed Early On Friday
Blake Snell

Likely Avoids Major Injury
Cole Ragans

Dealing With Mild Groin Strain

Broncos Add RJ Harvey To Backfield With 60th Pick

Raiders Select Jack Bech With 58th Pick

Chargers Add Wide Receiver Tre Harris In Round 2
Detroit Lions

Lions Acquire 57th Pick From Broncos

Seahawks Draft Elijah Arroyo 50th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Acquire 51st Pick From Broncos
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Snag Will Johnson At No. 47

Jets Add A Pass-Catcher With Mason Taylor At No. 42

Rams Select Terrance Ferguson With 46th Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Acquire 48th Pick From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

Saints Snag Tyler Shough At No. 40
Brenton Doyle

Out For Personal Reasons On Friday
Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
Aaron Ekblad

Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
Max Scherzer

Takes Positive Step On Friday
Aleksander Barkov

Questionable For Saturday
Gabriel Landeskog

Set For Larger Role In Game 4
Calvin Pickard

To Start Game 3 For Oilers
Randy Arozarena

Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
MLB

Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
Patrik Laine

A Game-Time Decision Friday
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Salvador Perez

Sitting Out For First Time This Season
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
Brendan Donovan

Back In Action On Friday
Jimmy Butler III

Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
Coby Mayo

Getting On A Roll At Triple-A
Moises Ballesteros

Riding An 11-Game Hit Streak
Victor Mesa Jr.

Starting Rehab Assignment On Saturday
Ryan Weathers

To Begin Rehab Assignment On Sunday
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF